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Georgia offense struggling with injury bug

published Thursday, April 3, 2014

The Georgia football team’s injury list may not be as lengthy as it was last season, but eight of the nine players on it after Thursday’s practice came from the offense.

That’s contributed to the unit not playing up to the standard of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

“We’ve had our ups and downs, but way too many downs this spring in my opinion,” Bobo said. “We’ve got to get a lot better in a lot of areas. We’ve got a long way to go from what we’re going to do in the fall against Clemson because right now we’re struggling to execute.”

Georgia is missing wide receivers Malcolm Mitchell (leg, knee) and Justin Scott-Wesley (knee) and tight end Jay Rome (foot). Tailback Keith Marshall (knee) isn’t taking part in any contact work and offensive tackle Watts Dantzler (concussion) and tight end Jordan Davis (knee) were also out again Thursday.

“You’ve got what you got,” Bobo said. “I know I seem probably a little frustrated but talking to our guys afterwards, `You can’t get frustrated. We’re rolling a lot of guys. Just keeping going through your progression, going through your reads and trust what you see. If they don’t make them or it doesn’t happen, you can’t get frustrated by it because I sense some frustration a little bit.”

Reinforcements are coming this summer and Bobo said incoming freshmen at tailback, tight end, on the offensive line and even at receiver will be given every opportunity to play.

“There’s no question that we’re going to have to have freshmen play for us this year and play meaningful minutes,” Bobo said. “Some of them, possibly start. We’ve got to get more competition on the field. Obviously getting Jay back at tight end will help but obviously at the tight end position, the receiver position at the running back position and the o-line, there’s not enough competition at those spots.”

Players on the move on defense

J.J. Green, who has created buzz this spring playing at the star nickel back position, worked with the first team at safety on Thursday.

“He hasn’t played defensive back until this spring so we started off just teaching him how to play in our nickel package,” defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt said. “He was playing the star. He hadn’t been taking any reps in regular so we wanted to find him a home in regular. We gave him some reps today at safety.”

Said Green: “It’s not permanent. Coach wants everybody to learn a different position just in case he has to throw somebody out there because of injuries.”

Cornerback Brendan Langley also has worked lately at safety.

That seems like it could be more of a primary position for him than Green at safety.

“Brendan was a high school wide receiver,” Pruitt said. “He’s got really good ball skills. Just looking for a guy who can play the ball in the deep part of the field.”

The depth chart continues to be in flux.

Actually, Pruitt says there isn’t an actual depth chart.

“We have no depth chart,” he said. “We just have somebody who goes with the ones.”

On Thursday, that included nose guard Mike Thornton and walk-on Aaron Davis at cornerback.

“Two weeks into fall camp, we’ll get them in their spots,” Pruitt said. “Maybe they’ll be some guys this spring that kind of take that step to where you say I know I can count on him but right now we’re just a work in progress.”

The school announced that Bostick is transferring without ever having played in a game.

“After discussing the situation with Paris, we mutually agreed this is a good decision,” coach Mark Richt said in a statement. “He has a positive future in football and we wish him all the best in attaining his goals in football and in education.”

Bostick came from Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., the same school that produced former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murrray and tight end Orson Charles.

He sat out last season after undergoing toe surgery in the summer and moved to inside linebacker from safety during practices last fall. He was limited to running in practice this spring due to a hyperextended knee.

Pruitt said he didn’t speak to Bostick about his decision, but “obviously he was concerned with playing time. Paris didn’t do anything but work hard while he was here, went to class and did everything we asked of him. He just wanted to find a different place.”

This and that

The way star tailback Todd Gurley has practiced this spring has pleased Bobo. He showed his playmaking ability at the end of practice Thursday when he scored on a touchdown run of about 65 yards. “It wasn’t like 10 yards and he kind of jogged,” Bobo said. “He finished it all the way through the goal line full speed, which was good to see.” …Pruitt on his defense after nine practices: “It’s kind of a work in progress. The guys are trying to figure us out, we’re trying to figure them out. It’s kind of like everywhere on the ninth day. We’ve got a long ways to go.”